Tube-plate construction



June 29 1926.

' S. H. :BARNUM ET AL TUBE PLATE CONSTRUCTION Filed August 31, 1925 a series of water tubes.

Patented June 29, 1926.

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1.5 0.8 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORA- TUBE-PLATE CONSTRUCTION.

'Application filed August 31, '1925. Serial No. 53,546.

This invention relates to water tube boilers and particularly to the boiler units composed of two header members connected by The prior art as far as we are aware is fairlyshown and discussed in the'patent to Jeter 840,566, dated January 8, 1907. Our improvement is found in the special arrangement or connections of the water tubes with header members whereby there is less possibility for distortion as compared to prior art struc' tures when the units are used in high pres sure boilers. The construction by which this effect is obtained will be described in ,connection with the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a boiler unit embodying our invention but with the tubes not in the plane of the section omitted;

Fig. 2 is a view in the direction of the arrows taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

.Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 2 showing a slightly modified form.

As shown in the drawings the tube plate 1 in each header member is formed with a flange 2 for attachment to the cylindrical side wall .of the header or drum. This tube plate is preferably made of cast steel and is provided on its interior surface with a plurality of upstanding cross webs 3 for" a purpose to be described. The plate 1, flange 2 and cross webs 3 are all cast integral. As shown, the upper, edges of the cross webs are just below the plane of attachment 9f flange 2 with header 4. The water tubes are attached to the tube plate in the usualfmanner except that as indicated in 'Fig. 2 these tubes enter the tube plate at the bottom portions ofwhat amounts to a plurality of box-like compartments formed by the plate I, flange 2, and webs 3. The tubes, immediatdly adjacent their connection with the tube plate are thus associated close to the intersections of integral right angled walls 'whichare all; arranged to resist distortion at the critical points where the tubes join the plate. In addition, these integral walls brace the joint wherethe flange 2 is attached to the header and-prevent diston tion at this oint.

As pointe out in the Jeter patent above referred to,. high pressure in units of the character shown has a marked tendency to distort the centraljtube's under compression and to distort the outside tubes under tension. As the pressure is increased there are serious distorting forces at work, one at the central tubes, one at the outer tubes and one at the joint between the flange and the header. These forces tend to cause leaks at the tube plate. By arranging the tubes in the tube plate in proper distribution with relation to the box-like compartments described, so that all the tubes adjacent their points of attachment with the tube plate are associated at the intersections of angu-' larly arranged walls integral with the tube plate, and with like walls adjacent the joint made between the flange and header, all the distorting forces above mentioned are met with effective resistance against actual distortion. Consequently, the tubev plate can maintain its desired shape without springing leaks between the tubes and the header either at the outside tubes, the center tubes, or the joint between the flange and header. The arrangement described is simple and yet most effective for the purpose of insuring satisfactory attachments under high steam pressure between the water tubes, the tube plate, and the header member in units of the kind shown.

In Fig. 3 additional walls 5 are shown to indicate an extension ofthe, idea of associating the water tubes with the tube plates closely adjacent intersecting walls integral with the tube plate.

.By actual test, it has been shown that the water tube unit made as we have 'described is 'much better able to withstand the workwith high pressure than the prior art constructions heretofore used under like conditions.

What .we claim is 1. A water tube boiler unit comprising header members or drums, water tubes nested, between said drums, a tube plate for each drum comprising aflat sided wall provided with an integral flange attached to the drum and integral cross walls extending inwardly from the plate, said'walls being arranged to intersect one another, the plate, and flange whereby a plurality of substantial box-like recesses are provided in the plate, the intersections of said walls being of the water tubes with said plates.

2. A tube plate having an integral flange for attachment to the header or drum, integral bracing walls arranged across the plate from the flange, some of which walls- 5 intersect to form 'a plurality of substantial box-like recesses on the inside of the plate, said plate having its openings to receive the water tubes all arranged adjacent intersections formed by the plate the flange and said walls. 10

In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures.

STARR H. BARNUM. GUSTAVE WELTER. 

